Collapsible lunch-box.



No. 657,197. Patented Sept. 4. I900.

L. .1. HILLS. COLLAPSIBLE LUNCH BOX.

(Applicatjon filed Jan. 11, 1900.)

2 Sheets$hset I.

(No Model.)

Jm/entor;

NO. 657,l97.

Patented Sept. 4, I900. L. J. HILLS.

COLLAPSIBLE LUNCH BOX.

(Application filed Jan. 1!, 1900i 2 Shets-Sheet 2.

(N0 Mdel.)

' WED I STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

LAWRENCE J. HILLS, OF FRU-ITVALE, CALIFORNIA.

COLLA'P'SIBLE LUNCH-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming par t of Letters Patent No. 657,197, dated setembr 4, 1906;

Application filed January 11,1900- Serlal No. 1 057. (No modell) To allwhom it may concern;

Be it known that I, LAWRENCE J. HILLS, a citizen of the United Statearesiding in Fruitvale, in the county of Alameda and State of California,have invented new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Lunch-Boxes, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements made in boxes that areconstructed to be folded or brought into small compass and compact form,so as to occupy when empty a considerably-less cubical space than whenexpanded and filled.

The invention has for its object mainly the production of a collapsiblebox having several advantages with respect to lightness,strength, andlow cost of manufacture and one that by reason of its structure isspecially adapted for use as a lunch-box by the clerk, student, andprofessional man.

To such end and object my said invention consists in a collapsible boxconsisting of a tray-bottom, foldable ends and sides attached to thestanding sides of the tray, fastening devices for securing the foldableends and sides together in upright position, and a cover having a deeprim, and also in a box blank of novel form in which the parts of thetray-bottom and the standing sides and ends are cut or produced from asingle piece of material.

The following description explains at length the nature of thisinvention and the manner in which I proceed to form or produce thebox-blank and construct the box therefrom, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a lunchbox produced in accordancewith any invention, showing the box in its expanded form with the coveron. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the box with one end folded down andthe cover removed, the nearer side of the box being broken away to showthe bottom. Fig. 3 shows the box collapsed and folded for the pocket.Fig. at is a plan of the body laid out fiat. Fig. 5 is a plan of theblank from which the complete body is produced. Fig. 6 is a perspectiveview of the body with one side and end removed.

The complete box consists of the tray-bottom A, standing sides and endsB, and a cover C.

A strap D E furnishes both a means of holding on the cover and a handlefor carrying the box. I

The tray-bottom and the sides and ends constituting the body of the boxare produced by cutting a blank to the shape and outline shown in Figs.4 and 5, so as to form the rec'- tangular bottom 1 with the low standingsides and ends 2 2 3 3 and the short flaps at 4: on the ends of thestanding sides ofthe bottom, these parts being scored or creased on thelines 00 3 so as to bend squarely or at right angles to the bottomandform permanentlystanding rims allaround. The standing ends 5 5 andthe sides 7 7 are practically continuations or extensions of thepermanentlystanding sides and ends of the tray, to which they are unitedby hinged joints 8 8, so as to fold down upon or over the bottom. Whenout in one piece with the other parts of the body-blank, these sides andends are partly separated from the sides and ends of the tray by scoringor cutting partially through the material on the lines a z, or thepieces 5 and 7 can be cut out separately from the trayblank andafterward united to that part by strips of muslin to form the hinges 88. WVings or flaps 6, provided on the sides of the end pieces 5, arebent inwardly to stand at right angles and lie against the side pieces7, so as to form a closed joint at the angles or corners of the box whenthe sides 7 and ends 5 are set upright. The pieces 6 are cut from thematerial integral with the ends 5. They are bent on the lines w 10', soas to stand stifliyat right angles, and are about equal in breath to theheight of the rim of the tray, so as to rest on the bottom of that partwhen they are folded down, thereby supporting the end pieces 5 when inthat folded position and materially strengthening the parts of the boxwhen in the folded state.

The tray-bottom is formed by bending up the side pieces 2 2 and endpieces 3 3 and fastening them together by rivets inserted through theflaps 4:, which are bent over upon the end pieces 3.

The cover 0 is formed from a blank cut the same as the part that formsthe tray A, with the exception that the cover is made somewhat larger inlength and breadth than the tray in order to fit over that part when thebox is folded and brought into the compact form illustrated in Fig. 3 ofthe draw- 1ngs.

To prevent the standing ends from yielding inwardly under pressure fromthe outside, a metal clip 9 is secured on\ the inside of the standingside 7 near the end, so as to receive and form a stop for the flap 6when that part is brought into position against the standing side.

Another form of fastening device for the standing ends is shown in Fig.6, consisting of a hook 10, attached to the standing side at 12 by aloose joint and shaped at the free end to fit over the edge of the endpiece 5. This fastening has the advantage over the other device 9 ofholding the end piece against pressure from within as well as from theoutside of the box.

When the strap D E is required, it is secured by a rivet to the endpiece 5 and is provided with holes on' the part near the other end totake through a buckle, which is fastened bya rivet to the outside of theopposite end piece 5, as shown in Fig. 1. A handle portion is formed byfastening a short bridge-piece E on the inner face of the strap, so asto hold the center portion in a loop, as illustrated in Fig. 1. ,1 ed,this strap will lie within the tray-bottom under the folded-down endsand sides, and thus allow the cover 0 to fit down closely over the tray.

Having thus fully described my invention,

cure by Letters Patent, is

1. A collapsible box comprising a tray=bottom having a standing rim,foldable sides and ends attached to the standing rim by hinge= When thebox is 'folzdjoints to fold into the tray-bottom, means for fasteningthe sides and ends together in upright position at their meeting angles,and a cover having a rim adapted to fit over the sides and ends of thebody.

2. A collapsible box comprising a bottom 1 having a standing rim,foldable side pieces and end pieces forming perpendicular extensions ofthe sides and ends of the standing rim and adapted to fold down into thesaid bottom, 'means for fastening the said side pieces and end piecestogether at the corners in upright position, and a cover having a rimadapted to fit. over the sides and ends.

3. A collapsible box comprising a bottom having a permanent standingrim, foldable side pieces and end pieces attached to the standing rim byjointswhich allow said pieces the end pieces standing at, right anglesthereto, means for detachably fastening the side pieces and end piecestogether at the meeting angles when in upright position, and a coverhaving a deep rim adapted to fit over the standing rim of the bottomwhen the sides and ends are folded into the rim.

4.. A blank for forming a collapsible boxbody, consisting of the bottom1, sides and ends. 2 2, 3 3 forming a standing rim to the bottom, theflaps 4, side pieces 7 7 and end pieces 8 8,. having wings or lateralextensions. 6 G.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I l have hereunto set my handand seal. What I claim as new therein, and desire to-se- LAVVRENOE J.HILLS.

to fold down into the bottom, rigid wings on a

